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FRENCH

INTRODUCTION

The focus of the French Department here at Gaynes School is to develop the ability of our students to communicate successfully and effectively in the target language. We also put great emphasis on independent learning and achieving excellence; therefore, it is the ability to express themselves linguistically, resorting to different ways, which will be assessed in all parts of their course and eventually at GCSE level.

LINGUISTIC OBJECTIVES

Our intention is to provide always carefully structured activities and well-chosen material designed for both foundation and higher level of achievement in all Attainment Targets. We aim to offer a balanced variety of work and material allowing students to move with enthusiasm from comprehension to creation of their own utterances and written work in the target language. Thus, in our three parts lessons, we aim to cater for all the abilities through the planning of activities which are aimed to suit students’ different learning styles and develop the four curricular skills.

Our KS3, and 4 Schemes of Work, which are regularly reviewed, are designed to include curricular and cross-curricular developments, in order to improve students’ language-learning skills and to provide them with strategies which aim to boost their performance. There are regular activities developing skill strategies on how to improve listening and reading, starters requiring students to apply logic and make connections, activities to develop anticipation skills in exam contexts and ongoing opportunities for pair work and regular peer assessment.

KS3

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN - YEAR 7 FRENCH

All students will start off completing an introduction to language learning and will then progress on to a variety of topics to guide them through the foundations of French language.

During the autumn term they will focus on introducing themselves and describing their family as well as talking about school. During spring term they will cover places in town, presenting their local area and saying what they do in their free time and expressing opinions. In the summer term students will learn to describe their holidays and animals in poems.

During the Autumn term, the following topics will be covered:

 

  • Talking about likes and dislikes Using regular –er verbs (je, tu, il/elle)
  • Describing yourself Understanding adjective agreement (singular)
  • Talking about school subjects Forming questions (intonation/with Est-ce que …?)
  • Giving opinions and reasons Agreeing and disagreeing

During the Spring term, the following topics will be covered:

  • Talking about computers and mobiles Using regular –er verbs
  • Talking about which sports you play Using jouer à + a sport
  • Saying what you like doing Using aimer + the infinitive
  • Giving directions Understanding when to use tu & vous

During the Summer term, the following topics will be covered:

  • Talking about your holidays Using nous to say ‘we’
  • Talking about getting ready to go out Using reflexive verbs (singular)
  • Saying what you would like to do Using je voudrais + infinitive
  • Talking about animals the perfect tense

 

Grammar is taught and reviewed as an on-going priority in lessons. The new GCSE has a strong focus on grammar so students need to be well prepared. Translation (both ways) is an integral part of the lesson by lesson teaching as it features in the new GCSE together with the photo description task. It is another way of reinforcing grammar as well as vocabulary. Pupils are also encouraged to develop a rich cultural appreciation of the French-speaking world through exposure to materials such as short stories, poems, films, art and music.  Each unit of work is approximately 12 lessons, based on a 2 lesson per week basis.

 

YEAR 8 FRENCH 

During the Autumn term, the following topics will be covered:

  • Leisure time – first half term
  • Discover Paris – second half term

In the Spring term, the following topics will be covered:

  • My identity – first half term
  • My local area – Second half term

In the summer term, the following topics will be covered:

  • France Got Talent – first half term
  • French speaking world – Second half term

 

Grammar is taught and reviewed as an on-going priority in lessons. The new GCSE has a strong focus on grammar so students need to be well prepared. Translation (both ways) is an integral part of the lesson by lesson teaching as it features in the new GCSE together with the photo description task. It is another way of reinforcing grammar as well as vocabulary. Pupils are also encouraged to develop a rich cultural appreciation of the French-speaking world through exposure to materials such as short stories, poems, films, art and music. Each unit of work is approximately 12 lessons, based on a 2 lesson per week basis.

 

YEAR 9 FRENCH

All French topics have a focus on listening, speaking, reading and writing, increasing vocabulary and knowledge and application of grammar. The Year 9 course aims to widen pupils' communicative skills through the acquisition and consolidation of new or previously learnt language. The course book and SoW that we use meet the needs of the range of pupils in Year 9. They are preparing pupils for GCSE style questions and exam papers through a varied range of carefully planned lessons.

 

In Year 9, students of French will cover the following topics each term:

Autumn Term:

  • Describing yourself  Using the verbs avoir and être
  • Talking about Facebook Using present tense verbs
  • Describing a music event Using on in the perfect tense
  • Talking about healthy eating Using du, de la and des

 Spring Term:

  • Discussing your future Using the near future tense
  • Talking about your job More practice with common irregular verbs
  • Talking about your ambitions Using masculine and feminine nouns.
  • Discussing holidays Asking questions using question words/ Using perfect tense verbs

Summer Term:

  • Discussing what you are allowed to do Using j’ai le droit de + infinitive
  • Explaining what’s important to you  Using mon, ma and mes
  • Talking about things you buy Using three tenses together
  • Describing what makes

KS4

KS4 FRENCH 

The assessment system in French reintroduces transactional/functional language into the GCSE, retains topics that work well with students, allowing for students of all abilities to access and progress in the qualification.

The GCSE covers topics that have been touched on in KS3, but go into more depth. This includes family and relationships, hobbies, holidays, town and environment, the working world and education. There are also opportunities to learn about cultural festivals.

Mock exam results are used amongst other assessments as a basis for decisions on level of entry for the examination tier. Mock exam papers are marked according to the EDEXCEL examination board mark schemes and therefore give an accurate indication of grades achieved.

Link to specification - https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/french-2016.html

Language skills can be used in almost any career, and particularly in businesses that trade internationally.

Some modern language graduates work on a self-employed basis as interpreters or translators. However, many others are employed by companies who trade or offer services internationally, or to non-English speaking customers and suppliers.

Secondary education teaching professional is the top job held by graduates in employment in the UK. Other jobs in the top ten include marketing associate professional, PR professional, business sales executive, admin, human resources and industrial relations officer, business and related associate professional, business and financial project management professional and finance investment analyst and adviser.

 

ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS

Pearson Edexcel level1/ level2 GCSE (9-1).  First teaching from September 2024. First certification from 2026

Paper 1: Listening and understanding in French (Paper code: 1FR0/1F and 1H) - Written examination (50 marks, 25%):

  • Students are assessed on their understanding of standard spoken French by one or more speakers in a range of public and social settings. Students will respond to multiple-response and short-answer open response questions based on a recording featuring male and female French speakers.
  • Foundation tier (Code 1FR0/1F): 35 minutes including 5 minutes’ reading time
  • Higher tier (Code 1FR0/1H): 45 minutes including 5 minutes’ reading time

Paper 2: Speaking in French - Internally conducted and externally assessed (70 marks, 25%):

  • Students are assessed on their ability to communicate and interact effectively through speaking in French for different purposes and in different settings.
  • Foundation tier (Paper code 1FR0/2F): 7–9 minutes plus 12 minutes’ preparation time
  • Higher tier (Paper code 1FR0/2H): 10–12 minutes plus 12 minutes’ preparation time

Paper 3: Reading and understanding in French - Written examination (50 marks, 25%):

  • Students are assessed on their understanding of written French across a range of different types of texts, including advertisements, emails, letters, articles and literary texts.
  • Foundation tier (Paper code: 1FR0/3F): 45 minutes
  • Higher tier (Paper code: 1FR0/3H): 1 hour

Paper 4: Writing in French – Written examination (60 marks, 25%):

  • Foundation tier (Paper code: 1FR0/4F): 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Higher tier (Paper code: 1FR0/4H): 1 hour 20 minutes

 

YEAR 10 FRENCH 

Autumn Term:

Module 1 : Tu as du temps a perdre? Thematic contexts Medias and technology/ My personal world.

Module 2: Mon clan, ma tribu. Thematic context: My personal world

Spring Term:

Module 3: M vie scolaire. Thematic context: Studying and my future.

Module 4: En pleine forme. Thematic context: Lifestyle and wellbeing

Summer Term:

Module 5: Numero vacances. Thematic context: Travel and tourism

 

YEAR 11 FRENCH

Autumn Term: 1 and 2

Module 8 – Un oeil sur le monde

Theme : International and global dimension

Grammar:

  • Using the modal verbs in the present tense A. On doit, on peut+ inf
    (devoir/pouvoir/vouloir)

 

Spring Term: 1

Module 6 – Au college

Theme : school

Grammar:

  • Using IL FAUT and IL EST INTERDIT DE + infinitive
  • Third person singular and plural forms of verbs in the present tense
  • Using a combination of tenses

 

Spring Term: 2

Module 7 – Bon travail!

Theme: Future aspiration, study and work

Discussing jobs and work preferences

 

Grammar:

  • Using impersonal verbs (il faut/ il vaut mieux + infinitive)
  • Depuis + the present tense
  • The relative pronouns qui and que
  •  Comparative adjectives
  • Direct object pronouns (le, la, les)

 

Summer Term: 1

 

The remainder of Y11 can be used to catch up, to prepare for the listening, reading, speaking and writing exams by completing past papers and reinforcing exam techniques and to review general conversation and select one-minute presentation for speaking exam.

 

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES

Students will initiate and develop discussions on a wide variety of topics, using appropriate register.  They will deduce meaning in longer texts, including extracts from literary texts, which include a combination of different tenses, opinions, some more complex grammatical structures and some less common vocabulary.  Students will write extended texts on a variety of topic areas, containing detailed descriptions, narrations and well-justified personal opinions, referring to the past, present and future.

 

FUTURE CAREERS

French is an extremely useful subject to learn in order to support a range of careers.

More subject-specific careers include being a/an: Interpreter, Secondary school teacher, Translator, Broadcast journalist, Detective, Diplomatic service officer, Education consultant, English as a foreign language teacher, International aid/development worker, Logistics and distribution manager, Marketing executive, Patent examiner, Private tutor, Publishing rights manager, Sales executive, Tour manager

 

 

 

GCSE Results 2022

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving 84% grades 9-4 in French.

GCSE Results 2021

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving 76.1% grades 9-4 in French.

Extra Curricular / Clubs

Extra-Curricular

The French Department is keen to provide students with the chance to visit the country where the language they study is spoken. Each year we aim to take at least one trip abroad. 

 

 

Useful Links

 USEFUL LINKS